Corner cap for boxed commercial products

ABSTRACT

The cap includes a body constructed of a flexible and resilient material having a substantially square shaped top, a substantially rectangular shaped front, and substantially rectangular shaped first and second sides which are interconnected along with the top and front in a substantially “U” shaped configuration. The body further defines an open interior extending between the sides and from the front to a rear interconnecting edge defined along the top and sides. The corner cap is releasably engageable over the severed corner of the container in resistively affixing fashion. To this end, the resilient and deflectable first and second sides are being angled in inwardly extending fashion, typically between 5° to 10° relative to a vertical axis extending through each of the sides and so that, upon affixing the body over the severed corner of the container, the sides biasingly squeeze against the corresponding sides of the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates generally to packaging closuredevices, and in particular re-closure devices for maintaining thequality of the contents of a previously opened package. Moreparticularly, the present invention discloses a protective andresistively affixable corner cover or cap for use with severed cornerportions of generally rectangular packages.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The prior art is well documented with examples of sealing membersfor use with paperboard container, such as generally rectangularbox-shaped containers and the like. The purpose, in each instance, ofsuch containers and associated open/closure means is to protectfoodstuffs and household products of the general type which are packagedin cardboard boxes. These typically includes such products as dry babyfood, pancake flour mix, dry detergents, rice products, baking soda andthe like, and which are typically opened by cutting and tearing the boxat a designated corner near its top. Such boxes further usually have noprovision for forming a sealing closure once the box has been opened.

[0005] In an attempt to maintain the quality and integrity of theremaining contents of a previously opened box, it is known in the art toplace the contents in plastic sealable containers, such as commerciallyknown under the brand name “TUPPERWARE”. A distinct disadvantageassociated with moving the unused contents to another re-sealable typeof container is the loss of the ability to consult recipes or otherinformation typically imprinted upon the box.

[0006] Other attempts have been made in the relevant art to addresssealing/resealing of such cardboard or paperboard containers, a firstexample of which is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,359, issued toStone and which teaches a one-piece and flip-top carton. An outer cartonincludes opposing top and bottom walls, front and back walls, and firstand second side walls. The first and second side walls and the frontwall include a preferential area of weakness for opening the carton froma sealed form to an unsealed form. The area of weakness forms a lidhingedly connected to the top wall, which in turn includes a front topminor flap hingedly connected to an upper end of the front wall. Aninternal collar is integrally formed with the flap and is disposedwithin the carton when in sealed form.

[0007] Additional features of the internal collar include a front paneland opposing first and second side panels adjacent to the respectivefront wall and opposing first and second side walls of the container.The front panel is further detachably connected to the front top minorflap along at least one horizontal fold line and the internal collar mayalso include an extension flap with at least one hinged portion and atleast one island portion disposed in forcibly displaceable mutualengagement, such that the opening of the lid exerts a force whichdisengages the mutual engagement and closing the lid leads to snapre-engagement of the hinged portion to the island portion.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,761, issued to Gaves, teaches a resealablepouch/box combination, particularly intended for use with a flowablematerial. The package includes an outer semi-rigid box made of cardboardor the like and a flexible bag-like pouch disposed within the box. Anopening defined by a removable tab is provided in the box and extendsfrom the top wall into a side wall thereof. A slot is provided in theside wall which extends to the margin of the opening. To open thepackage, the tab is removed so as to expose the pouch, and a corner ofthe pouch may be pulled through the opening at the top and be torn orcut from it. In this manner, the contents may be poured from the pouch.To reseal the pouch, the margin of the opening cut or torn from it ispulled into the slot.

[0009] Finally, a further example of a barrier carton with reclosablepour spout is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,703, issued to Sosler.An open ended carton includes a membrane liner and a cover having aperipherally depending flange which overlies a top end portion of thecarton. A transverse score line in the cover and contiguous perforationlines in the flange divide the cover into first and second sections toprovide a hinged pour spout. An extension panel attached to a peripheraledge of the carton includes a terminal section which is heat sealed toan interior section of the peripheral cover flange. Severance of ahinged section of the extension panel defines an indentation between atop panel in the cover and the terminal section which receives thehinged section for locking reclosure of the cover. The cover is lockedin open position by inward flexing of sections of the peripheral coverflange which are received in the carton opening.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0010] The present invention is a flexible, yet resilient corner edgecap device for use in covering over a severed corner location of aconventional and three-dimensional shaped container. Furthermore, thepresent invention provides an easily affixable and elastic/resilientlybiasing cap which is quickly and effectively installed over the severedportion, defined around a corner perimeter of the container, and inorder to maintain the integrity and quality of interiorly held contents,such as dry and particular food items.

[0011] The cap includes a body constructed of a flexible and resilientmaterial having a substantially square shaped top, a substantiallyrectangular shaped front, and substantially rectangular shaped first andsecond sides which are interconnected along with the top and front in asubstantially “U” shaped configuration. The body further defines an openinterior extending between the sides and from the front to a rearinterconnecting edge defined along the top and sides.

[0012] The corner cap is releasably engageable over the severed cornerof the container in resistively affixing fashion. To this end, theresilient and deflectable first and second sides are being angled ininwardly extending fashion, typically between 5° to 10° relative to avertical axis extending through each of the sides and so that, uponaffixing the body over the severed corner of the container, the sidesbiasingly squeeze against the corresponding sides of the container.

[0013] Additional aspects of the present invention include themanufacture of the corner cap from a variety of different materialsincluding injection molded plasticized components and foamable plastics.It is also contemplated that a plurality of differently configured orshaped bodies can be provided in a kit form and so as to fit a pluralityof differently sized and commercial packaging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read incombination with the following detailed description, wherein likereference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, andin which:

[0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a corner cap illustrated inengaged fashion over a severed edge portion of a box container andaccording to the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the corner cap illustrated inFIG. 1 and illustrating the inwardly and biasingly deflecting nature ofits first and second side wall portions;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a substantially rotated and elevational view of thecorner cap again illustrated in FIG. 2 and again showing is biasinglydeflecting and elasticized/resilient construction;

[0018]FIG. 4 is a substantially exploded view, similar to FIG. 1, andillustrating the manner of affixing the corner cap upon and over thesevered edge portion of the box container; and

[0019]FIG. 5 is a view of a plurality of differently sized andconfigured corner caps capable of being provided in kit form accordingto the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Referring now to FIG. 1, a corner cap is illustrated at 10 foruse with an existing box container 12 (typically constructed of acardboard or suitable paperboard material) and according to thepreferred embodiment of the present invention. As previously stated, thepresent invention provides an easily affixable and elastic/resilientlybiasing cap which is quickly and effectively installed upon a severedportion defined around a corner perimeter 14 of the container and formaintaining the integrity and quality of the interiorly held contents,such as dry and particular food items.

[0021] The commercial packaging container 12 is of a type generallyknown in the art, and includes (see again FIG. 1) a top panel 16, frontpanel 18, rear panel 20, interconnecting side panels 22 and 24 andbottom panel 26 which defines an enclosed interior suitable for holdinga volume of contents, such as again may include dried food items(baby-food, cereal, pancake/flour mix, etc.). It is also typicallyunderstood that the packaging container 12 may be constructed of apaperboard or cardboard based material, however the corner cap 10 of thepresent invention is not limited for use with any one particular type ofconventional packaging.

[0022] Referring again to FIG. 1, as well as to succeeding FIGS. 2 and3, the corner cap 10 is again illustrated and includes a bodyconstructed of a flexible and resilient material having a substantiallysquare shaped top 28, a substantially rectangular shaped front 30, andsubstantially rectangular shaped first 32 and second 34 sides which areinterconnected along with the top 28 and front 30 in a substantially “U”shaped configuration. In the preferred embodiment, the body isconstructed of an injection molded or foamable plasticized or material.

[0023] It is further contemplated that the body may include particularmaterial constructions such as polypropylene, impact resistantpolystyrene, polyethylene polyvinylchloride, or any other materialexhibiting the necessary characteristics of durability, flexibility andimpact resistance. Preferably, the material for manufacturing the coveris non-toxic and exudes substantially no odor during manufacture orsubsequent application. The rotated and perspective view of FIG. 3illustrates the plasticized material construction of the corner cap 10according to the preferred embodiment.

[0024] The body further defines an open interior extending between thesides 32 and 34 and from the front 30 to a rear interconnecting edge 36defined along the top 28 and sides 32 and 34 (see rotated perspective ofFIG. 3). As best shown in FIG. 2, the sides 32 and 34 extend in inwardlyand opposing fashion relative to a vertical axis extending through thesides 32 and 34 at their interconnecting location with the top 28.Reference particularly is made to offset angles 38 (for first side 32)and 40 (for second side 34). It is further contemplated that the firstand second sides are being angled in inwardly extending fashion,typically between 5° to 10° relative to a vertical axis extendingthrough each of the sides and so that, upon affixing the body over thesevered corner of the container, the sides biasingly squeeze against thecorresponding sides of the container.

[0025] It is important to point out that the shaping of the top, frontand interconnected sides of the corner cap 10 is not limited to any onegiven set of dimensions, but is rather adaptable given the parameters ofthe commercial container 12 to which it will be applied. As such, thefront, top and sides can interchangeably be shaped in rectangular,square or other appropriate fashion and, further the interconnectedcomponents can be lengthened, shortened, made deeper or more shallow inorder to accommodate both the differently sized packaging as well as thesize of the severed corner associated with any given container.

[0026] Referring to the exploded view of FIG. 4, it is illustrated as tohow the corner cap 10 is applied over the severed and perimeter edge 14of the associated box container 12, first by rotating (see directionalarrow 42) to the orientation previously illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2,and then by applying in a direction indicated by arrow 44 in theresulting fashion again shown in FIG. 1. Referring further to FIG. 5, aplurality of differently and individually sized and configured cornercaps 46, 48 and 50 are illustrated and which are each constructedsubstantially identically to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. Itis contemplated that the present invention may be provided in kit formand so that a selected corner cap may be withdrawn and applied to anyone of a variety of differently configured box containers.

[0027] Having described my invention, additional preferred embodimentswill become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains,and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims:

I claim:
 1. A cap for use with a generally three-dimensional andrectangular shaped container having a severed corner revealing a volumeof interiorly held contents, said cap comprising: a body constructed ofinterconnected top, front, and first and second sides, said body furtherdefining an open interior extending between said sides and from saidfront to a rear interconnecting edge defined along said top and sides;and engaging means for securing said body over the severed corner of thecontainer in resistively affixing fashion.
 2. The cap as described inclaim 1, said body being constructed of a suitable flexible yetresilient material and said top further comprising a substantiallysquare shaped top and said front and sides a substantially rectangularshape.
 3. The cap as described in claim 2, further comprising said frontextending from along an interconnecting edge with said top and at asubstantially right angle thereto.
 4. The cap as described in claim 3,said engaging means further comprising said first and second sides beingangled in inwardly opposing fashion.
 5. The cap as described in claim 4,further comprising said first and second sides each being angled between5° to 10° relative to a vertical axis extending therethrough.
 6. The capas described in claim 1, said body having a specified shape and size andbeing constructed of a material selected from the group includinginjection molded plasticized composites, and foamable plastics.
 7. Thecap as described in claim 6, said body further being constructed from asubset group of materials selected from a group including polypropylene,impact polystyrene, polyethylene, and polyvinylchloride.
 8. The cap asdescribed in claim 1, said body having a specified shape and size andsaid rear interconnecting edge defining a substantially “U” shape. 9.The cap as described in claim 1, further comprising a plurality ofdifferently sized bodies assembled in kit fashion.
 10. A cap for usewith a generally three-dimensional and rectangular shaped containerhaving a severed corner revealing a volume of interiorly held contents,said cap comprising: a body constructed of a flexible and resilientmaterial having a substantially square shaped top, a substantiallyrectangular shaped front, and substantially rectangular shaped first andsecond sides, said body further defining an open interior extendingbetween said sides and from said front to a rear interconnecting edgedefined along said top and sides; and engaging means for securing saidbody over the severed corner of the container in resistively affixingfashion, said engaging means further comprising said first and secondsides being angled in inwardly extending fashion so that, upon affixingsaid body over the severed corner of the container, said sides biasinglysqueeze against corresponding sides of the container.